Touch Rugby in the UK has taken off over the past five years or so, and has seen the number of new players, of all ages and genders, increase drastically, year by year.

Because In2Touch, O2 Touch, and many other touch leagues, are organised in England, they can be a stepping-stone for so much more. Yes, the social leagues are great fun and you get to meet so many people from different backgrounds, but if you have an urge to compete at a higher level then read further.

The first step to getting involved and playing more competitive Touch is to join one of the many Touch clubs located in England, and more specifically London. London itself has seven official clubs that play in the In2Touch and O2 Touch leagues throughout the year.

These clubs have men’s, ladies, and also mixed teams, and are always on the lookout for new members, rookie or experienced, to join their club. These clubs all participate in the various levels of touch competitions across the country.

The National Touch Series (NTS) is where all the best clubs and players from England, Scotland and even Wales come together to play in four tournaments. Then you have the CTS and DTS, which are the next levels two levels of touch competitions that clubs participate in, with the aim to be promoted and play in the NTS.

Then there is the regional side of things, where England is split into six regions and London being included in The South East. Once a year the Nationals are played and each region enters a men’s and a ladies team.

The South East region, however, host a very large number of players and thus have two teams that play in the Nationals. These are the South East Sharks and Tiapans. To be considered for any of the regional teams, players must attend trials and training sessions. These trails are open to anyone that plays in the In2Touch and O2 Touch leagues.

The next step is the national teams that are chosen from the nationals tournament and go onto play in the World Cup, Euro’s or Home Nations competitions each year.

Touch is predominately a summer sport and many if not all of the above mentioned competitions are played in the summer. This makes for a more enjoyable experience and a free flowing game, and will undoubtedly improve your skills, communication, and all round level of fitness.

If you like the sound of taking your enjoyment of Touch to the next level, whether it be to make the England team one day, or just soak up the atmosphere, then please do get in touch with us and we’ll do everything we can to get you playing and in contact with the clubs located in your area.